Fifteen Random Things to Try (Once) In College

Written by Lauren Smyth

Okay, so maybe these aren’t optimal weekend activities. And maybe you won’t even do most of these things intentionally. But here are a few of the wild and wacky situations you’ll probably face at some point during your time at college.

Nap in public. I didn’t even make it through freshman year without napping on a random sofa in the student union. And in the library, where I probably should have been studying. When you’ve got to nap, you’ve simply got to nap. No one cares. No one will disturb you. We’ve all been there.
Go to Taco Bell at 1:00 AM. Tacos just seem to hit differently when you’ve been working so long you’ve almost forgotten your own name. There aren’t many restaurants in Hillsdale that are open 24/7, but if you find yourself craving a crunchy snack late at night—or early in the morning—drop your assignments and pile your fellow night owls into your car.

Speaking of cars …

Cram your car to maximum capacity. Squeeze as many friends as you can fit into your backseat and head somewhere for a day trip. Visit a nearby lake, drive to a city center, find a park for a picnic, or plan a museum tour. There are plenty of fun activities within driving distance of Hillsdale that make for perfect weekend getaways!
Prank a rival dorm. This is already a tradition that will inevitably sweep you along, depending on which dorm you end up living in. Remove all the spoons from somebody’s kitchen. “Borrow” a lawn chair for the evening. Pop some water balloons. Leave mysterious, very slightly unhinged messages. So long as it’s all in good fun, there’s no permanent damage, and both parties laugh, there’s room for a good prank in college.
Model for school advertisements. You may every so often receive an email or see a poster with a casting call for photo and video shoots. Why not dress up in your collegiate best and see if your photo makes it on the front of some Hillsdale promos?
Take a class outdoors. Professors will sometimes move class outside if enough students advocate for it and if the early fall weather stays pleasant. It’s a fun change from the usual classroom atmosphere and a great way to achieve both studying and a tan.
Or better yet, take a wilderness survival class. The zombie apocalypse may be slow in coming, but when it does, you’ll be prepared. Hillsdale offers a wide range of sports and athletics classes. SSD-170 is a two-credit wilderness survival class that will teach you how to build a fire, how to navigate, and how to maintain situational awareness.
Pull an all-nighter. This one probably isn’t something you’ll plan for. It’ll happen to you. Or maybe it won’t—the only all-nighter I’ve pulled was on a long-haul flight to Europe. But chances are good that you’ll eventually have an assignment that just can’t wait any longer, and you’ll end up awake at least in the small hours of the morning. If it happens, embrace it. Stay hydrated, stay caffeinated, and take cat naps along the way.
Attend an event just because there’s free food. This is something else that will happen to you before you know it. Free food is nothing to sneeze at when you’re a broke college student, and there’s plenty of it to go around at Hillsdale.
Spend a night at another college. Chances are, you have a few pre-college friends who aren’t going to Hillsdale. Why not pay them a visit and invite them over in return?
Play in the rain. One of my core Hillsdale memories is having a massive water balloon fight with near-strangers in the pouring rain. Our battles produced a glorious crop of drowned rats and a new sense of companionship and cooperation with everyone in the group. When opportunities for strange, wonderful, and simple adventures arise, don’t miss out.
Build a friendship with a professor. Have tea with them. Babysit their kids. Read their favorite books and chat with them afterward. Professors at Hillsdale love getting to know their students, and they can provide invaluable life experience and insights that can smooth your journey before, through, and after college.
Chat with Dr. Larry Arnn (Hillsdale College’s president). After the above-mentioned water balloon fight, our cadre of drowned rats decided to take a plate of BBQ to Dr. Arnn’s house. He wasn’t expecting us, and we probably weren’t the most glamorous guests to ever grace the steps of Broadlawn. We planned to just hand over the BBQ and depart, taking our soggy shoes with us. But Dr. Arnn surprised us—he invited us all inside and ate with us, chatting about post-college plans and Hillsdale history.
Apply for a scholarship you don’t think you’ll win. Because wouldn’t it be awesome if you did win?
Attend themed parties and dress up like you mean it. If it’s Techno Swing Dance night, show up dressed to the nines in every piece of neon clothing you own. Going all-out for themed events makes them a hundred times more fun. And if you’re missing a few costume pieces, check out the local thrift stores, ask your friends to borrow items, or shop second-hand items online.

Sophomores, let’s play a game: Out of fifteen points, how many of these did you score?

Lauren Smyth, ’25, is an economics major and journalism minor. Outside of starting arguments in philosophy class, she enjoys curling up on a bench outdoors (sun, rain, or snow) to write novels or articles for her blog, www.laurensmythbooks.com.

Published in February 2024